Coach Rick Sowell said the Navy offense has looked very sharp in practice the past two weeks.

Crisp passing, quick ball movement and accurate shooting have all been on display as the Midshipmen prepare for the Division I men's lacrosse playoffs.

"We seem to be playing with a different level of confidence on offense. We're playing fast, we're playing free and easy," Sowell said.

Sowell had better hope Navy (10-4) is ready to break out of a late-season offensive slump as that is imperative to upsetting fourth-seeded Yale (13-2) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are averaging almost 13 goals per game with prolific attackman Ben Reeves leading the way.

"We probably need to get to double digits to beat them," Sowell admitted.

Navy averaged almost 11 goals per game for most of the season before suddenly going dormant. The Mids managed just 15 goals over their final three games, being limited to five and three in losses to Maryland and Army.

Sowell, in his fifth season at the helm, cited a myriad of factors for the dropoff. Lack of possession, an inability to generate unsettled goals, unforced turnovers and poor shooting all played a role.

Offensive coordinator Michael Phipps has been working hard to fix those issues in order to get Navy performing the way it did during the Patriot League portion of the season when it scored 12 goals or more in four games.

"It would be real nice if we could score a few goals early to loosen everyone up and reinforce the positive strides we've made in practice," Sowell said.

Senior attackman Patrick Keena leads the Mids in scoring with 48 points, showing superb balance with 21 goals and 27 assists. Sophomores Casey Reeds and Jack Ray are the top goal scorers with 25 and 23, respectively. Ray is a 6-foot-6, 261-pound bulldozer of an attackman while Rees is a midfielder with a cannon crank shot.

Navy needs all those players to perform up to par while also getting contributions from senior attackman T.J. Hanzsche (20 goals) along with first midfielders Greyson Torain (16 goals) and Kevin Wendel (12 goals).

A major problem for the Mids all season has been a complete lack of production from the second midfield currently comprised of Colin Flounlacker, Ray Wardell and Drew Smiley. That unit, which previously included Spencer Coyle (back injury) has provided only nine points.

Yale coach Andy Shay is going to assume he'll see the Navy offense that scored 16 goals against Colgate as opposed to the one that struggled down the stretch.

"Every team goes through a rough patch when the offense isn't clicking. They've had time to get things corrected and I'm sure they have," Shay said. "I'm watching film right now and I see that 6 (Torain) can run by anyone, 42 (Ray) is absolutely huge and hard to handle while 21 (Rees) shoots rockets. Navy looks pretty darn good on offense to me."

Reeves is a potential first team All-American, having amassed 73 points on 42 goals and 31 assists. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound sophomore will be covered by Chris Fennell, the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.

"(Reeves) is a strong lefty who can go righty if you overplay his strong hand. He is a very accurate shooter with a quick release," Sowell said. "We're hoping Chris Fennell will be able to D him up. Chris relishes these opportunities and has usually risen to the occasion."

Reeves is very adept at dodging, drawing slides and dishing to midfielders Michael Keasey and Eric Scott, snipers who have scored 30 and 18 goals, respectively. Attackman Jeff Cimbalista (19 goals) is another threat. Navy defensive coordinator Ryan Wellner is counting on Fennell to eliminate that element of Yale's offense.

"We don't want to slide to Reeves too much and leave open shooters," Sowell said. "Number 10 (Keasey) and number 5 (Scott) are very good at stepping down, getting their hands free and letting it rip."

Yale has been decimated by injuries on the defensive end, but has plugged in replacements and remained solid. The Bulldogs are allowing just under eight goals per game despite uneven goaltending. Sophomore Phil Huffard started 10 games between the pipes, but has been replaced for the past five games by freshman Hoyt Crance.

"I'd say the scheme is somewhat similar to Army's. Yale trusts each man to own his individual matchup, but will slide and double-team when necessary," Sowell said. "They will pressure you in the riding and clearing game, trying to get a turnover that turns into an easy goal."

On paper, Navy has an advantage in the faceoff department with Brady Dove winning 60 percent (141 of 234) this season. Yale, who splits duties between senior Jon Reese and sophomore Conor Mackie, stands at 50 percent.

"Dove is a really good one and the two guys on the wings are awesome," Shay said. "We put Reese and Mackey out there and tend to go whichever one has the hot hand. We need to find a way to neutralize Dove because he can really take over a game."

Yale has already sold nearly 1,500 tickets and is expecting the largest crowd for any lacrosse game in the history of Reese Stadium. The Bulldogs have not hosted an NCAA Tournament contest since 1990.

"It's going to be a packed house and a real exciting atmosphere," Shay said. "We're going to treat it like any home game. We have a traditional power coming to our place and we need to play really well to win. We have an awful lot of respect for Navy."

Yale, which has captured the Ivy League championship in four out of the last five years, has never reached the semifinal round. Senior midfielder Michael Bonacci recalls losing to Syracuse on a goal scored with 13 seconds left in the 2013 quarters. Last year, Yale was beaten by Maryland 8-7 in the first round after an apparent tying goal with 23 seconds left was missed by officials.

"I think those heartbreaking losses can be beneficial. We know we can't let it come down to a last-second shot," said Bonacci, a St. Mary's High graduate. "This team has every bit of potential to get to the Final Four. There is so much talent, so much depth."

Navy is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 and seeking a playoff victory for the first time since beating North Carolina in the 2008 first round. Sowell was asked about the underdog Midshipmen playing with nothing to lose while the Bulldogs feel the pressure of advancing to championship weekend the first time in program history.

"I think there's some merit to that school of thought. We're kind of the new kids on the block being as we haven't been in the tournament for a while," Sowell said. "I'm sure Yale is really anxious to take that next step. They are expected to get to the Final Four based on that seed."